Truss-rod construction and adjusting device.



H. J. GERHARDT & F. G. STEGKER.

TRUSS BOD CONSTRUCTION AND ADJUSTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30, 1908.

. Patented Aug. 24, 1909.

imp. Rd E Y m kE N m E 0 V 5 T WE 11H V/ b j n "J J H v B \WN -EPFWITNESSES:

$ 4 JIM MA HENRY I. (I-EB'HABDI AND RED 0..

gmcm. or NEENAH, wmconsm.

'rnUss-non cous'rn'ucrroii Ann An usTING phvreliy.

To all. whom itmay concern:

Be itknown that we, HENRY J. GER-i HARDT and FRED C. STEOKER, citizensof the United States, residing at N eenah, in the county. of Winnebagoand State of Wiscon-f I sin, have invented a new and useful Truss RodConstruction and Adjusting Device, of

which the followingis a specification.

. Our invention relates to an adjustable strut, and to the formation ofa truss rod, and is particularly applicable to the front rail of awningsfor the fronts of-stores and other buildings, but may be applied forstraightening or stren thening rails or beams for other purposes. heseawnings are often sup orted by only two. arms which are hingedi to t efronts of buildings and are often from to ft. apart,and requiring saidfront rail to extend the full distance between the arms Without anintermediate support, the) result of which is, that said front rail issure and applying the" truss rods, whereby any sag which mayexist in therail, whether it be to sag'downward, and inward toward the building,along the middle of its length, and causing the'awning, both when swungdown for use and up against the building, to present an unsightly apearance and detracting from the strength of the rail and usefulness ofthe awning. For avoiding these difficultiesand straightening andstrengthening said f front rail, we apply a truss rod, one or more, asthe case requires, which extends from end to end of the rail, eachtruss'rod being provided with two or more struts intermediate its ends,which space the truss rods from the rail,'and with a turnbuckle for eachrod by which it may be tightened, our invention,be ing confinedprincipally to making the struts adjustable in their length, in theposition of the strut transversely trussed, and also, in t e manner offorming downward, inward toward the building, or a combination of saiddirections, may be entirely-taken out and the rail made straight,

the truss rods for accomplishing this result being so'inade that thematerial for any length of awning-rail, can be easily kept in stock bythep'erson engaged in the awning business.

The accompanying drawing illustrates in its several figures, ourimprovements.

1 Figure l is a planishowing a wood front railfor an awning, broken inits length, a part of its two end supporting arms,'two struts of ourinvention spaced apart and secured to specification of; Letters Patent.I l I Application filed November 80, 1908. Serial Ho.466-,402.'

of the rail to bev I the rail; and a truss rod extending substantiallyfrom end to end of the rail, and a turnbuckle for tightening. the rodiFig. 2 is an elevation of the inside of an awning rail or the side thatis toward the building when the porting arms being in section, the railhaying two truss rods with a turnbuckle for each f rod, and four of ourimproved struts for spaci ing .therods apart and from the awning rail. 1Fig. 3 is a lan of a bracket for holding one or two strut olts. Fig. 4is a transverse section-of the bracket on the line a, a, of Fig. 3.Figfi5 is a plan of a truss rod holder and spreader, showing itswidestftransverse di mension. Fig; 6 is afplan of Fig.5 showing ,,versely of it; Figs. 7' and 8 are plans upon a larger scale than the others,of a trussreii holder and spreader, showing their edges and the mannerin which the truss rods may be retained by them, 'Fig.'g7'being formedof malleable iron and its ends bent'toward each other, and Fig. 8 beingprovided withoetter pins. Fig. 9 is an elevation of the ihsi'deofianother form of bracket from Fig. 3, whichis adapted for use upon railsformed of iron pipe. Fig. 10 is a transverse section of said racket onthe line b, b, of Fig. 9. 11 is a vertical section u on the line c, c,of Fi 1, as it appears in ooking toward the oft. Fig.v 12 1s atransverse section, similar to Fig. 11, but having the bracket as shownin Figs. 9 and IOapplied to-an iron pi e. Fig. 13 is an elevation,similar to the rig t hand end of Fig. 2, but having individual truss rodand 6. 14 is a transverse section, simi lar to Fig. 11, but having theindividual truss rod holders and s readers, as in Fig. 15 is a plan 0 amodified form of truss rod holder and spreader; view of the'same.

Similar numerals and letters indicate like parts in. the. severalviews.- l 1, 1, indicate wood and iron ipe awning railsrespectively; 2,2 their end suppo1ting arms by .which the rails are hinged to a build-;

upon the ends of the arms for retaining the there is, 'but one rod used,maybeconnected with the rail by forming an eye in" one and sli ping it uon the arm between the rail and collar 3, or i there are two truss rodsfor iits edge' or. narrowest dimension,- tra'ns .ing; 3; nut collar uponthe arms; 4, nuts rail thereon. The truss rod piece'sg5,-" when I therail, bydoubling the'wire of which the,

Patented Aug. 24, 1909.."

awning is down, broken in its length, its sup- F spreaders instead ofthe one shown in Figs. 5

Fig. is'an edge if rod is formed and twisting it near said dou bledpart, as is shown in Fig. 2, the collar beingomitted at the left handend of the rail in Fig. 2 for showing said twist. The strut 5 forspreading the truss rod from the rail con: sists of a truss rod strutholder or bracket, 6, or 6, the former being provided with w1ngs7 havingholes for receiv wood screws 8 by --which to secure the brac et to arail formed 10 of wood, and the latter having two arms 9 which extendparallel with each other, throu h one of which a set screw 9', isinserte and b means of which the bracket may be attac ed to a railformed of pipin Each style of bracket is formed wlth a ho t head seat10, having side walls for preventing the bolt head from turning aroundtherein,

/ and a slot 11, arranged longitudinall of the grzfcket, for the passagethrough it 0 a strut The threaded strut bolt 12, which may be of anydesired length, can be secured to the bracket in an desired positionwithin the length of the s ot 11, by means of the nut 13.

2 Spaced from the nut 13, a suitable distance,

are two nuts 14, between which two nuts a truss rod holder and spreaderis clamped.

This may be individual blocks 15, mounted upon the bolt 12 and having aperforation 16,

for receiving a truss rod, as in Figs. 13 and 14, or be the spreader 17or 18, as shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, 15 and 16. In the former case theblock is carried upon a single bolt,

but in the latter case the spreaders 17 or 18,

may be carried upon one bolt as in the outer brackets in Fig. 2, or upontwo bolts, as in its inner pair of brackets in said figure. Theseholders and spreaders 17 or'18, which will usually be preferable to thesingle blocks,

40 consist of a thin bar having a slot longitudinally of it, each end ofFig. 8 being rovided with two arms 20, spaced 9. art, and a cotter pin21,'inserted through t em for retaining the rod 5 therein. The piece 17in Fig. 7, is formed of malleable iron and the ends of the arms 20 arebent toward each other, and

3 6 shows the piece 18, with its ends provi ed with perforations 22, forthe passage through them of the truss rod.

For attaching the bracket 6, to an awning rail formed of a pipe as inFig. 12, two blocks '23 and 24 are inserted between the bracket armsandthe Ipipe 1", the latter block being thicker than t e former, so thatb changing their positions one for the other, t e bracket can be raisedor lowered relative to the rail.

It will be observed that the bracket in this case is not attached to thepipe in a vertical position, but is inclined toward the building emwhich the awnin is supported, wherebi, the application 0 a sin le trussrod,

w en properly tightened up,'w1 1 not only exert its force to straightenany sag inward, .but one downward also. In some cases it may benecessary to apply two truss rods, as 18 hown in Fig. 2, and the numberof brackets may be two or more, and the number of strut bolts to eachbracket may be one or two, as the number of crooks and their directionseem to require.

In Fig. 2 is shown our im rovement in the formation of truss rods. T eturnbuckles 25 and screw eyes 26 may be made in quantities to a standardgage, all properly threaded, one of the screw eyes and one end of theturnbuckle having a ri ht hand thread and the other screw eye an' theother end of the turnbuckle having aleft hand thread. Where twotruss'rods are to be applied to an awning for removing any sagging 1nits rail, a single piece of wire of a suitable gage and length, is allthat is required. A person starting out to straighten up a number ofawning rails, all va ng in length, has but to provide himself a numberof brackets with their threaded strut ,bolts and truss rod holders andspreaders, turnbuckles and screw eyes, in proportion to the number ofrails to be straightened, a coil of wire, cutting and twisting nip ersand a wrench, and he is fully prepared with the sup lies and tools for Imany separate. jobs, al differing in the length of their rails and theamount ofdefiection in the rails from a straight line. I In applying thetruss rods, the brackets with their strut bolts and truss rod holdersand spreaders are to be first secured in position at the distance apartsuited to the particular case. A piece of wire is then to be cut fromthe coil of the required length, and if there are two truss rods to beused, the wire is to be doubled like the wire 5', in Fig. 2, and theloop 27 formed by twistin the wire of the loop around a few times, theoop then being laced on an arm between the collar 3 and t e rail, thenut 4 being removed for allowin said connection to be made. The free ons of the wire are now run throu h .the spreaders, whether the spreaderis t e single block. 15 or the pieces 17 or 18. no

The wires are, then to be connected with their screw eyes by passingthem through and twisting the ends aroun in a well known manner. Bothends of the truss rod having been formed andconnected as abovedescribed, the turnbuckles can be applied and turned until the desiredtension is produced in the rods.

The tension upon the truss rods can be increased or diminished by meansof the tumbuckles, or b turning the nuts 14 on the strut bolts. heaction of the truss rods upon the rail circumferentially of it, can becontrolled u on a rail formed of pipe by the position of t e'bracketaround the pipe, and upon a four sided rail, by the position transverselof the rail of the strut bolt and its sprea er. In Fig. 1, the truss.rod is formed in the usual manner, of a single iece of wire from theturnbuckle to the en of the rail 139 which method produces as goodresults as the method shown in Fig. 2, but it is not as easy to apply ormake, the thread upon the short screw eyes being much easier to makethan upona piece 10or 15feet long, and the twisted loop connection ofwire and screw eye is easily made.

In wetting the awning cloth, the rail is caused to bend inward anddownward in consequence of the additional weight, and in dr ing, it islikely to occur that the shrinkage tal ies place when the awning is downfor use, when its shrinkage Will pull the rail upward, but there is nolikelihood of its bowing the rail outward. In this case an additionaltension can be given the lower one of the truss rods by lengthening thespace on the strut bolts between the brackets and spreader pieces, or ifbut one rod is being used, by movmg the position of the truss rodspreader downward, relative to the rail the necessary {amount forbringing the rail into a straight ine.

Having described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s,

1. In a truss rod construction and adjusting device, a strut forspreading the truss rod from the member to be trussed, consisting of abracket adapted to be secured upon said member, means for securing thebracket to said member, a slot through the bracket, longitudinallythereof, adapted for the passage through it of a bolt and for itsretention within said slot, means for preventing the turning around ofthe bolt within the slot, a nut upon the bolt for clamping the bolt andbracket together in any position within the length of said slot, twonuts spaced apart upon said bolt and from the first named nut, a trussrod holder and spreader, mounted upon said bolt and clamped between saidtwo nuts, a passage through said holder and spreader for a truss rod,said holder and s reader being adjustable nearer to and fartlier fromthe member to be trussed within substantially .the length of said boltby means of said two nuts, and also, adjustable transversely of saidmember within the length of said slot in the bracket by means of thefirst named nut.

2. In a bracket for attachment to a member to be trussed, provided withtwo arms extending parallel with each other for'inclosing opposite sidesof said member, a

greater space betweenv said arms than the dimension of the member to betrussed, said space being adapted to receive rectangular shaped fillingpieces of different thickness on opposite sides of the member to betrussed, whereby the changing of their positions one for the other, willchange the position of the bracket, transversely of said member to betrussed the di'llerence in the thickness be tween said two pieces andnecessitate the use of but a single set screw for holding said fillingpieces, and the member to be trussed, in position.

3. A bracket for attachment to a member to be trussed, means forsecuring it to said member, a slot arranged lengthwise of said bracketadapted for the passage through it of a threaded strut bolt, ashouldered seat on opposite sides of said slot for receiving the head ofsaid bolt for holding the bolt from turning around therein, a nut uponsaid bolt for clamping the bolt within the bracket, two nuts upon saidbolt, spaced apart and from the first named nut, and a truss rod holderand s reader mQunted upon the bolt between said two'nuts and clampedbetween them.

4. In a truss rod device for straightening the sag in, and sustainingthe front rail of an awning, or other similar article, a plurality ofstruts for spacing the truss rod from the member to be trussed, spacedapart intermediate the ends of said member, consisting each of a brackethaving means for securing it upon the member to be trusse it slot.arranged lengthwise of the bracket and trans -versely of said member tobe trussed, one or more threaded bolts extending outward from eachbracket through said slots, each bolt having a head between the memberto be trussed and the bracket, a nut upon each bolt for clam ing it to abracket in any position within the length of said slot, two nuts spacedapart and from the first named nut upon each bolt, truss rod holder andspreader devices mounted upon each bracket and held in position upon abolt by means of said two nuts, each of said holder and spreader deviceshaving means for the engagement loosely with it of a truss rod, a trussrod device for the member to be trussed, consisting of one or moreturnbuckles having each a right hand thread at one end and a left handthread at the other, wires connected with each end of the member to betrussed, and means for connecting the wire and a turnbuckle.

5. In a truss rod for straightening the sag in, and sustaining the frontrail of an awning, or othersimilar article, a plurality of struts forspreading the truss rod from the member to rbe'trussed, spaced apartintermediate the ends of said member, consisting each of a brackethaving means for securing it upon the member to be trussed, a slotarranged lengthwise of each bracket and transversely of said member tobe trussed, one or more threaded bolts extending outward from eachbracket through said slots having each a head between the member to betrussed and the bracket, a nut upon each bolt for clamping it to abracket, in any position within the length of its slot, two nuts spacedapart and from the first named nut, truss rod holder and I spreaderdevices having means for the engagement with it, loosely, of a trussrod, a truss rod device for .the member to be trussed. consisting ofturnbuckles having each a right. hand threaded screw eye engaging oneend and a left hand threaded screw eye engaging the other end of eachturnbuckle, and two wires doubled,one for each end of the member to betrussed having a 100 ormcd at the point of said doubling in each wireand engaging with the member to be trussed near its ends, the free endsof each doubled wire engaging loosely witlrone or more holder andspreader devices, and being then connected with a screw eye of theturnbuckle by passing it through the screw eye and twisting it arounditself.

6. In a truss rod construction and adjusting device, two truss rods, twoscrew eyes for each turnbuckle for connecting and tightening each trussrod, and a suitable strut carrying means forspacing the truss rods fromthe member to be trussed and the rods from each other, said truss rodsconsisting of a iece of wire for each end of the member 'to e trussed,doubled, and a loop formed at said doubling point for its connectionwith said member, each of their free ends intermediate their oints ofconnection with said member to e trussed and their turnbuckles and screweyes passing through said trussrod s acing means, being then connectedwit a screw eye.

7. In a truss rod construction and adjusting device, two truss rods, aturnbuckle for connecting and tightening each truss rod, and a suitablestrut carrying means for spacing the truss rods from the member to betrussed andthe rods from each other, said truss rods consisting of apiece of wire for each end of the member to be trussed, doubled, and aloop formed at said doubling point for its connection with said member,each of their free ends intermediate their oints of connection with saidmember to e trussed and their turnbuckles pass' through said truss rod sacing means, an means for connecting eac of said free ends of the wirewith a turnbuckle.

HENRY J. GERHARDT. FRED C. STECKER.

l/Vitnesses:

S. D. BAIRD, O'r'ro EISENACH.

